6. Babe Ruth’s 1919 Contract – Sold for: $996,000
This 1919 document was Babe Ruth’s transfer from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees.
Sold at Sotheby’s for slightly less than $1 million, this contract shows Babe Ruth’s lump sum is the equivalent of $358,371 now. Bought by the Yankees for $100,000, it was the highest amount ever paid for an athlete in 1919. Ruth also demanded that with the move, his salary be doubled.
He certainly proved to be worth the cash, because he become a record breaker during his time with the Yankees.
